Overview & Reviews

Subaru is a Japan-based automaker whose recent offerings are both practical and fun to drive. The automaker crafts vehicles whose all-wheel-drive powertrains and available turbochargers facilitate sharp performance. Incongruously, most Subaru vehicles are discreet and versatile enough to serve as competent family haulers, and the brand is known for boasting some of the best crash test scores in the automotive world.

In the early 1950s, a collection of Japanese companies joined to form Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Its automotive division came to be known as "Subaru," which is a Japanese word meaning "unite." In 1954, the first Subaru car was unveiled. Powered by a four-cylinder engine, the P-1 (its name was later changed to the Subaru 1500) boasted a front-wheel wishbone-type independent suspension and was the first car to feature a monocoque body designed in Japan. Sales were suspended due to challenges associated with funding and support, but Subaru soon resolved its difficulties and rolled out a sibling for its first-born; the 360 was introduced in 1958. Dubbed the Ladybird because of its ladybug shape, the compact 360 proved immensely popular, and remained in production for 12 years.

The 1960s saw the launch of the first Subaru truck. Based on the Subaru 360 platform, the Sambar minitruck offered both compact dimensions (a must for Japan's crowded, narrow streets) and an extremely spacious cargo bed. The truck was soon joined by the Sambar Light Van, a compact van built for both commercial and leisure use. In 1966, the automaker rolled out the 1000, a car that holds the distinction of being the first vehicle to use the drive technology that is the linchpin of current Subaru models: a front-wheel-drive system coupled to a horizontally opposed engine. This setup offered many advantages in handling and performance. By the end of the decade, Subaru North America had been founded, and exports to the United States had begun.

Subaru started the '70s with the introduction of the GL/DL (called the Leone in other markets). The sedan (it was soon joined by a coupe and a station wagon) broke new ground by offering four-wheel-drive (4WD) capability. Up until then, 4WD had only been offered in off-road-oriented vehicles. Coveted for use in the snow and in hilly regions, the GL and DL also benefited from the increasing popularity of outdoor sports like skiing and fishing, and went on to become the world's top-selling 4WD vehicle. In 1977, Subaru rolled out the successful Brat; based on the GL, it was a small car-based pickup whose cargo bed featured a pair of jump seats. More and more, young people were seeking a vehicle designed for an outdoorsy lifestyle, and the rugged Brat was perfectly in step with their needs.

Subaru continued to offer versatile but slightly quirky vehicles through the '80s. It developed the world's first electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. The technology made its debut later that decade in a new Subaru, the tiny Justy economy car. By the end of the '80s, Subaru had given birth to the Legacy, which replaced the outgoing GL/DL (now called the Loyale in the U.S.). Available as both a wagon and a sedan, the Legacy placed an emphasis on performance.

The automaker made a name for itself in motorsports in the 1990s by being the first Japanese marque to win the Manufacturers' title at the World Rally Championship three years in a row. The Subaru family continued to grow during this decade, with the addition of the high-performance SVX, the popular Legacy-based Outback wagon and the sporty Impreza. In the late '90s, General Motors acquired a 20 percent stake in parent company Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) with the aim of strengthening its presence in foreign markets. This affiliation didn't last long, however, and Toyota currently owns a small percentage of FHI.

Today, Subaru's lineup includes everything from compact trucks to family-friendly wagons to high-performance cars such as the WRX STi. The brand is hailed as a top pick for enthusiasts seeking vehicles that offer a shot of utility with their performance thrills.

User Reviews:

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  Why would you buy anything else? - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By jseybold - March 24 - 7:53 pm

  This my favorite of all the cars we have ever had! (The list includes many BMWs, 2 Lexus, 2 Audis and a WRX.) It is fast, fun, safe, comfortable, and surprisingly well made. Deep reserves of power across the entire rev range. Great steering, exemplary ride/handling balance. If there is a better every day, all-purpose, any road, any weather sports sedan available at any price, I have not found it. Buy the 5 speed. As with Audi turbos, the auto saps the marvelous engine response. The manual is amazingly good in traffic. If you live where there is snow, arrange with a tire dealer to trade in the Potenza tires. Replace them with proper summer tires & a set of winter tires/wheels.

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  My Baja - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By ChopsJG - March 23 - 8:00 am

  Best car for fun and family.

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  Best car ever owned - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By Vincent Yeung - March 22 - 8:34 pm

  Great power. Good sound systems. Sleek look. Solid feel. Road hugging. Plenty of storage. Bright head headlights. Good looking wheels. Easy read and sophiscated cluster. I am going to sell my BMW and keep this Subaru Forester XT. But this is a well built vehicle. I drove Audi Allroad, BMW X1 and X3 and x4, Toyota Rav 4, Scion Xb, Honda CRV. This is by far, the most well balanced, value and well built vehicle. Dont blindly loyal to Honda and Toyota, imho they just make average vehicle. Anyway want to challenge me, please go to drive the cars yourself and compare, you will know what I am talking about. 2.5 NA is decent but 2.0XT is great. Please dont blindly buy Toyota and Honda, their car overrated. Period.

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  LOVE this car!!! - 2003 Subaru Forester
  By jcribari - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I had a toyota for 15 years and loved it. It was hard for me to change vehicle makes because I love toyotas reliability. My boyfriend is an avid subaru fan and convinced me to switch. He was right in so many ways! This is an awesome vehicle and worth every penny! I have 1500 miles on my new 2003 XS and am amazed at where it will go. This vehicle blows toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV out of the water! Love the new design.

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  Never had any problems with this car - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By Logan C - March 21 - 3:53 am

  Never had any problems with this car even with driving it across the country a few times. This being my second Subaru and its performance in the snow and winter conditions is everything Ive expected.

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  BUY BUY BUY!!! - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By John Holbrook - March 21 - 2:46 am

  If your lookig for a great car with great preformance, this is the one. The WRX is great in the rain and snow!! You can really feel the grip of the AWD system. The proformance great easy to drive and plenty on tap. Turbo+AWD= tonsO fun

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  Great car! very road worthy - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By Joni Olson - March 20 - 9:42 pm

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  New Subarau believer - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By gearhead71 - March 18 - 3:32 pm

  I test drove 30 awds out there and due to a family balance disorder, the ride requirement was the following: Highway smoothness, near zero body roll, zero cabin pressure (Suv must be vented properly) unlike VW tiguan, and no road vibration through the steering and seats. The 2014 was a clear and easy winner. I have owned the forester for 2 months in the NE winter and this thing proves itself every day of my 70 minute tristate commute. Coming from a BMW x5 I thought I would be unhappy - but this SUV is really a swiss army knife. Insane in the snow/ice - great comfort, a kickin stereo system. Computer readout of everything + X-Drive! + 27mpg avg + rock solid reliability LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

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  Love this car, but... - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By kmcglynn - March 17 - 9:31 pm

  We love our 2005 Forester! It is a ton of fun to drive, and the leatherette interior with heated seats is very good for all of the bad weather we have here in the Pacific Northwest. This is one of the better quality SUVs for the money and the AWD is great!! However I do have one small issue with it. We barely hit 80k miles on our Forester and we already need to get the head gaskets replaced, which have set us back another $2,000. This has been the only problem with the car and it is running perfectly other than this issue, however we did some research and it is a HUGE problem with Subaru engines throughout the lineup. If you can get over that though, this car is definitely worth the money!!

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  Dont Touch My Baby!!!!! - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By oldarmywife - March 16 - 8:07 am

  I love my 2009 Forester LL Bean Edition, we have gotten a consistent 25 mpg and have had zero issues in the almost 3 years weve had it. We have three reasonably big dogs who fit easily in the back with the seats folded down (and lots of rubber matting!!) and have driven for over 12 hours at a time with the dogs extremely comfortably! I love the "driving for dummies" addition of letting me know my tires are low which has eliminated the need for me to check them and the heated seats are a gem! The drivers seat is my favorite, I can raise it so I can have a panoramic view as I drive and its sleek design makes it easy to park even in tight spots.